Am thinking of getting a synthetic stock for an early '80s Model 70 Featherweight in 7 x 57. MacMillan, Bell and Carlson? Opinions? Hoping for a light and handy white tail deer rifle.

synthetic - is that some kind of walnut i haven't heard of ?? biebs please explain

Probably one of the nicer ones I've handled is the McMillan's Edge. Light, rigid and a nice fit for me.
There are others out there. Look on Ebay or gunbroker a stock comes up from time to time.

While I personally prefer wood stocks myself, I can see advantages to having rifles with synthetic stocks.

McMillan or HS Precision are my favorite. I have a B&C on one gun, it's fine, I think they make a higher end B&C Gold ... something like that.

Here is a picture of my M70 FWT in a McMillan Hunters Edge compact and my M70 Extreme Weather in the factory B&C stock.





Compared to the McMillan the B&C stock feels like a club. It was too thick in the wrist and forearm for my tastes. I've been able to find all my McMillan stocks second hand and at great savings, all of mine have the Edge fill and weigh between 22-24 ounces. My M70 EW now wears a McMillan FWT Edge stock.

.270 Win 7 lbs 13 oz




Here are pictures of my M70's in Hunters stocks.

.30-06 7 lbs 1 oz



.338-06 8 lbs 9 oz





Manners and High Tech are some I'd look at as well besides the ones already mentioned.